


What Makes a Man

by masc_malfunction



Category: Naruto
Genre: Coming Out, Coming of Age, Gen, I deal with dysphoria by writing about my favorite trans green boy, I love me some NejiLee but nothing is super Romantic yet, I'm not sure if this is a ship fic or not tbh, Lee's friends are supportive, M/M, Mild Transphobic Language, Multi, Neji unlearns problematic behavior, Trans Male Character, all my faves are trans, could be read as ship or just friends, kind of, nothing too angsty, other characters to be added - Freeform, there's some mild hurt/comfort, trans adults mentoring trans kids, trans!Gai, trans!Lee
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-03-27 13:42:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13882059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/masc_malfunction/pseuds/masc_malfunction
Summary: A story about Rock Lee, about growing up, about teaching, about learning, about friendship, about support,and about the many different processes of coming out over the years.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first multi-chapter fic, I'm not sure how many chapters it's going to end up being but I currently have around 5 planned out. I saw a few people mention trans!Lee headcanons and I just couldn't sit still about it for two solid days before I just had to start writing out the ideas that were going through my head. The chapters are vignette style, showing Lee at different stages of his life and relationships.

Iruka frowned slightly, his eyebrows knitting closer together in confusion. It was his first day with a new class and, as per his usual, he had each child introduce themselves as he checked them off his attendance roster. He preferred this approach to calling their names out methodically, as it got the students engaging with him, and let him learn a bit about each of them in the process. But this time he had almost completely tuned out the voice of the student in question, his eyes scanning his class roster over and over. “I’m sorry,” his voice cut through whatever the child was saying, and he cringed slightly at his own interruption. “I’m sorry for interrupting, but…could you repeat your name for me, please?”

The student had frozen as soon as Iruka spoke, and it was honestly almost comical. He had, while Iruka was distracted, managed to stand up from his seat, place one foot on top of his desk, and raise a finger triumphantly to the sky. Iruka was sorry he’d tuned out the rousing speech he was sure went along with such a stance.

“Rock Lee,” he finally answered, seeming to deflate a little under the circumstances. “Is there something wrong, Sensei?”

Iruka’s frown deepened slightly. He wasn’t missing something, then. He’d so hoped that he was. “I’m sorry, I—I don’t see that name on the roster,” he explained, glancing up at the student apologetically, before scanning his list again. “The name Lee is here, though, but the full name is—”

“Please!”

Iruka’s eyes shot back up to meet his student’s when he was cut off, noticing the boy’s change in stature at once. He had dropped both his arm and his gaze, and he slumped gently back into his chair.

“That is my name, on your list,” he said, his voice much softer than before. “But please, do not use it. I much prefer the name Rock,” he avoided Iruka’s eyes, as if he seemed to think that Iruka would reject his request.

Iruka’s eyes scanned the name on his list once more, his confusion only growing. For lack of better phrasing, the name on his list…didn’t fit the boy in front of him. But Iruka shook it off, resolving to speak about it to his student later, in private. He was clearly uncomfortable with mentioning it in front of the rest of the class. So Iruka smiled, marked the name present, and moved on to the next student in the row.

___

“Lee,” Iruka called, as softly as he could over the din of 20-something pre-genin packing up and running home. “Could I speak with you, please?”

The boy stilled, bowing his head slightly and slowly packing his things, waiting until the rest of the students had made their way into the hallway before approaching his teacher’s desk. “Iruka-sensei,” he began, softly. “What is wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, Lee,” Iruka assured him, kneeling down in front of him and smiling. “I just wanted to speak with you to make sure everything is correct with you being registered for my class.” He pulled out the roster, indicating to the name he had almost read in class. “This is your name?”

The boy nodded, a glum expression covering his features. “It is, Iruka-sensei, but I—” he paused, looking down at his feet. “I do not like that name. It is pretty and girly and I am not those things,” he spoke forcefully, even though he avoided his teacher’s gaze. “I would be very grateful if you did not use it,”

Iruka sighed softly, beginning to understand. “You were registered for the academy under your legal name. All your documents will be listed like this,” he said, biting his lower lip in thought. “Would…would you like me to see if I can get them changed?” he offered.

Lee’s eyes snapped up to meet Iruka’s so quickly, he worried for a second about the kid giving himself whiplash.

“Iruka-sensei!” He cried, his large eyes glassing over with tears. “You can—that is something I could do?”

Iruka couldn’t help the small laugh that bubbled up from his throat. “I can’t make any promises, Lee,” he prefaced. “But it’s not unheard of. And I have my ways of getting things done,”

Everything Iruka had ever had to go through to become a teacher was worth it, he decided, for moments like this. He had barely finished his sentence before the tiny bundle of limbs that was Rock Lee was careening into his chest, sending a small _oof_ past his lips as he put his hands out backwards to catch himself. He chuckled softly, steadying himself and wrapping an arm around Lee’s shoulders gently. The boy was babbling tearful thanks into Iruka’s chest, along with confessions about how nervous he was to go to school because he already wasn’t as strong as the other kids and everyone told him his name was stupid even though he had picked it himself.

“I-Iruka-sensei?” he finally asked with a sniff, lifting his head to look up into his eyes. “I…do I seem...like a girl?” he finally asked, his voice quiet enough to almost be a whisper.

And that was when Iruka knew that his name wouldn’t be the only part of Lee’s forms he would be fighting to change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Go ahead and leave a comment if you're so inclined, I'm really excited to continue this story and I hope y'all are excited too. This first chapter is super short, I'll probably post the second one pretty fast.


	2. Chapter 2

Neji Hyuuga had never been hit so hard in his life.

He’d been hit before, of course. You didn’t get to be a genin without taking a few hits, and his extensive training outside of school ensured that he was no stranger to injury.

But this? This was a sudden direct slap to the side of his face, that sent him sideways. He’d managed to catch himself on the railing, whipping around to shoot a glare at his attacker—his jounin sensei.

“What exactly was that for?” he asked, managing to keep his tone level despite his rising anger. He opened his mouth to speak again, but his sensei cut him off.

“You will never,” Gai began. “Ever again speak in such a way to your comrade,” his voice was hard, serious, and low. “If you truly believe what you said to Lee before…there will be no place for you on my or any of my colleague’s squads.” He paused, letting the warning settle in the silence.

For once, Neji was speechless. His usual haughty reply died in his throat at the threat of his future.

Gai sighed heavily, breaking his eye contact with Neji and seeming to regain some composure. “Neji, Ten Ten, you are dismissed,” he said, seeming much more distracted and significantly less boisterous than his usual self. “Go.”

Neji and Ten Ten did not need telling twice.

Lee remained, his own lack of dismissal heavy in the air. He had been shocked into stillness at Neji’s words, and only more shocked by his sensei’s response. He was overcome, suddenly, with a need to be…not here. He needed to be anywhere but in front of his sensei, somewhere where that pitying look couldn’t reach him.

“E-excuse me, Gai-sensei!” Lee stammered, effectively cutting off whatever it was that Gai was about to say. “I have to go!”

“Lee—”

Lee did not wait for whatever it was that Gai wanted to tell him. He’d gladly take whatever repercussions for his insubordination later, right now, he needed to run.

___

And run is exactly what Lee did. To the farthest corner training ground there was, and he remained there for the rest of the afternoon and well into the night. This wasn’t unusual for him, he spent almost every night on the training ground, giving himself challenges that he almost never fully completed, working himself to exhausted night after night.

And tonight looked to be no different, from the perspective of any outsider. Lee was stood in front of a thick log, punching it with everything he had. But it was different, tonight Lee wasn’t striking to train. He was striking out of anger, out of fear, out of crushing sadness and anxiety. Neji’s words rang through his mind with every punch, as clearly as if the older boy was shouting them into his ear.

_“You’re nothing but a weak, stupid little girl playing at having strengths you’ll never have!”_

Lee stilled, gripping onto the training log, feeling the hot burn of tears welling up in his eyes. He was used to Neji taking potshots at his skill as a ninja, that almost didn’t phase him at this point. He hadn’t been called a girl in years. He didn’t even know how it was that Neji…knew. He hadn’t had any incidents of misgendering since his first year at the academy, since Iruka-sensei helped him change his official paperwork. He gripped the log harder, his knuckles turning white and his arms trembling slightly. He should have known that he couldn’t hide from Neji’s eyes. And he should have expected such cruelty from his mouth, as well. Lee leaned his forehead against the training log, letting the tears start to spill over his cheeks as he let out a shaky sob.

“He…is right,” Lee choked out through ragged breaths. “I will n-never be a ninja…and I will n-never—p-people will n-never th-think—”

“Lee,”

Lee gasped sharply, his eyes snapping open as the familiar voice boomed over the empty training grounds. No. He couldn’t take this. Not today.

“Gai-sensei…please…”

“Lee, I do not want to hear another word like that from you,” Gai’s voice was stern. “Lee…do you know why I fought so hard to train you?”

Lee stilled, turning slightly toward his teacher. “I…n-no, sensei,”

Gai smiled, sitting down on the grass and beckoning Lee closer to him. “You know, you and I…we have a lot in common,”

Lee sniffled, wiping his nose on his sleeve and walking meekly over to sit by his sensei. “B-because of our eyebrows?” he asked weakly.

Lee swore he heard Gai laugh softly, before he turned his face up to look at the sky. “No, Lee, not just our eyebrows. Though we do bear a striking similarity in that regard,” he admitted. “We have…both been through similar things. With our peers,”

Lee frowned a little, looking over at his teacher. “Gai-sensei…I appreciate you trying to make me feel better,” he murmured, shifting into himself a little. “But you—”

“I remember when I changed my name,” Gai continued, a little louder. “It was by far the scariest thing I faced as a shinobi,” he smiled, looking down at Lee, who was now staring up at him with wide, shining eyes. “I did not know whether or not my comrades would still respect me. Whether they would accept me anymore. I look back on it now and feel so foolish. Of course they accepted me. But at the time…I had no idea what to expect.”

Lee couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Gai-sensei, the Maito Gai who was the strongest man Lee thought he had ever met…was like him? It couldn’t be real.

“Gai-sensei, you…I-I mean…who did you tell? First, I mean,” Lee asked, his voice uncharacteristically small.

“Kakashi-sensei,” Gai answered with a smile. “I ran into my old rival the first day I had bound up my chest. In my fear, I had hoped he would not recognize me. You can image why that was not the case,” he laughed easily about it, now.

___

_“…You seem nervous,” Kakashi said, his voice still his characteristic lazy drawl, but Gai could feel the tension behind it. When fellow shinobi were on edge, it tended to affect the whole room. “What is it?”_

_“Kakashi,” Gai began, his mind churning frantically. He didn’t expect to run into anyone he knew, not now. Not like this. “This…this is not what it looks like,” he began, his eyes looking for a way out of this situation. If he ran, he could pretend he never saw Kakashi today._

_Kakashi’s eyes narrowed, and he moved closer, into Gai’s personal space. “What are you trying to run from?” he asked, his voice dropping in volume._

_Oh no. Kakashi really didn’t understand. “I—it is not—I am not running,” Gai protested. “I just…I need to return home, Kakashi, please,”_

_Kakashi stilled, his exposed eye never leaving Gai’s face. Gai fidgeted under the gaze, feeling as though he was being x-rayed. He felt a twisting in his stomach and swallowed heavily, letting out a shaky breath. “Kakashi…I am not who you think I am,” he said, his usually boisterous voice quieting considerably. “I mean I—I do not want to be who you think I am,”_

_Kakashi stepped back a little, staying quiet, waiting for Gai to continue._

_“I am…Kakashi, I am a man,”_

_Gai braced himself after his confession, waiting for anything about Kakashi’s demeanor to change. But, in true Kakashi form, it did not._

_“What…should I call you?”_

_Gai gasped sharply, looking up at Kakashi’s visible eye. “What...did you say?” he asked._

_“What should I call you?” Kakashi shrugged, repeating his question. “I don’t really…know what I should and shouldn’t ask,” Gai was well aware of his social hang-ups, usually._

_His name. Kakashi was asking him about his name. “Uh…Maito,” he said, more out of instinct than anything else. He hadn’t even thought about changing his name. He hadn’t gotten that far, not expecting to tell anyone for a very long time. “Maito Gai.”_

_Kakashi blinked, his visible eye going slightly wide. “That’s…” he paused, stopping himself. “Okay. Maito Gai.” He nodded._

_“You…that’s all you have to say?” Gai blanched, shocked. “You’re not —angry? Or disgusted, or—"_

_“Do you want me to be?” Kakashi asked, the smirk evident even in his voice._

_“Of course I don’t,” Gai spluttered, shaking his head a little. “I just don’t understand…”_

_Kakashi shrugged, smiling. “You’re my friend. I mean…my rival. And this doesn’t really change anything about you or your abilities…why would I care? You’re happy this way.”_

_Gai stood in silence for a long minute, feeling tears welling up in his eyes. “Kakashi…”_

_“But,” Something in Kakashi’s voice took on an edge. “If anyone else gets angry…or disgusted, or gives you a hard time…let me know. I’ll back you up.”_

_“Back…me up?”_

_“Of course,” Kakashi grinned. “You never needed your battles fought for you. But I want to be there…to support you, and also to watch you kick their sorry, bigoted asses.”_

___

Lee’s eyes were the size of dinner plates by the time Gai finished recounting his story. Everything Gai had mentioned…the fear, the secrecy, the relief once it was out in the open…he couldn’t believe this was all coming from Gai.

“Iruka-sensei was the first person I told,” Lee blurted out. “Besides my family, of course! And he…I had not meant to say. But my first day at the academy…he helped me change my name on the forms,” he explained. It wasn’t quite the same as the tale Gai had told him, but he wanted to share.

“Iruka-sensei is a good man,” Gai said, with a wide smile. “And cares fiercely for his students. I am glad he was there for you so early on.”

Lee nodded, smiling a little. “It made school easier,” he paused. “Nobody teased me about it…until—”

“Neji is young,” Gai cut him off. “And he had been hardened by years of family life that you and I cannot understand. This does not excuse what he said to you. But it does mean there is a chance that he can be taught,”

Lee bit his lip, curling his knees up to his chest. He wasn’t sure he wanted to have to do that teaching.

“Rest assured, Lee. That behavior will not be tolerated from my students.” He sighed softly, staring up at the stars yet again. “Neji will come around. Once he grows up from the way he was taught to be,”

Lee hoped that Gai-sensei was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is WAY longer than the first one! I had a lot to cover in here. I suppose in theory I could have broken it up in to several short chapters, but I didn't want to do that. I hope y'all are enjoying this as much as I am.


	3. Chapter 3

Lee awoke the next morning to a sharp rapping on his door.

He stirred, glancing first at his clock, and then his calendar, making sure he wasn’t late to something. As far as he could tell, he wasn’t. He frowned slightly, rubbing at his eyes. He wasn’t sure who would be at his door so early, if he wasn’t supposed to be anywhere today.

He slipped out of bed to the sound of another, louder knock.

“Okay, okay…” he murmured, rubbing sleep out of his eyes as he headed for his front door, not bothering to change out of his pajama pants and tshirt. Whoever it was, they’d just have to deal with this as consequences for waking him up.

Of all the people who could have been knocking at his door at nine in the morning, he really, really didn’t expect it to be Neji Hyuuga.

He looked extremely uncomfortable, nothing like his usual poised and controlled self. His shoulders were tense and his face was tilted to the side, his eyes downcast to avoid meeting Lee’s gaze. And his expression…was this…shame?

“Neji,” Lee immediately felt his defenses rise. “What are you—”

“I’m sorry.”

Neji spoke the words like they were foreign, and almost too softly to hear. In fact, Lee was pretty sure he didn’t hear. At least, not correctly.

“I…w-what?”

“I said I’m sorry!” Neji repeated, louder. His cheeks grew hot with shame, and he squeezed his eyes shut, balling his hands into fists. “I am sorry for what I said to you yesterday. It was uncalled for and inappropriate. I didn’t—”

He paused for a tense moment, bringing his eyes up to meet Lee’s. “I was angry, and I didn’t know any better. My lack of self control was inexcusable. Please…forgive me,”

Lee’s eyes widened as Neji bent into a stiff bow, his hair falling over his left shoulder and hiding his face. He was truly at a loss for words, staring at the back of Neji’s head for several long moments before he came back about his wits.

“Thank you for apologizing,” Lee said, his voice growing more confident. “If I may be completely honest, I do not know if I am ready to forgive you.”

Neji let out a small sigh, the tension in his shoulders giving way as they slumped gently.

“Of course, Lee. I understand.” Neji murmured, straightening up to lock eyes with Lee. “I will do whatever I can to earn your trust again,” he said softly. “I…do not understand the position that you are in. But I understand that it is difficult enough without people…like me causing you trouble,” he averted his eyes again, squirming a little under the scrutiny.

“I—would you like to come in?” Lee asked, reflexively. He was sated somewhat by Neji’s apology, and taken more than slightly by surprise by Neji’s acceptance that he was not immediately forgiven. He figured this conversation might take longer than would be comfortable to have through his doorway.

Neji looked up warily, considering his offer. “Come in?” 

“Yes. Please come inside,” Lee stepped aside, giving Neji space to pass by him.

“I…yes, thank you,” Neji murmured, stepping inside and toeing off his sandals in silence.

“What changed your mind?” Lee asked once he had shut the door, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. “You seemed perfectly sure of your opinion yesterday.”

Neji sighed heavily, his cheeks flushing pink with embarrassment again. Lee might have laughed at the absurdity of the sight, had he not been so genuinely invested in the answer.

“Hinata,” Neji admitted finally, muttering the name under his breath. “She…found out what I had said to you. I have never seen her yell so loud in her life,”

Lee’s eyes widened appreciatively. He’d need to remember to thank Hinata.

“She told me…a lot of things,” Neji continued. “Between…the yelling. I still do not understand. I don’t know if I ever could.” He paused, considering his words carefully. “But you have been prejudiced against for things beyond your control. And that, to some extent…I can understand.”

Lee’s expression softened slightly at Neji’s words. Of course.

“Well,” he began, biting his lower lip gently. “If you want to understand…I am not against talking about it,” he offered.

Neji swallowed heavily, shifting uncomfortably. “I…wouldn’t know what to ask,” he said softly.

Lee offered Neji a small smile, shrugging a little. “I could just talk, if you were interested in listening.”

Neji paused, considering the offer. Lee seemed to be willing to talk, and not as though he was holding a grudge. He certainly didn’t have anything to lose from this.

“I am.”

Lee’s smile widened, and he moved into his kitchen, saying something about Neji making himself comfortable while he would make tea. He got halfway through putting the water on to boil before realizing that he was still very much in pajamas. He politely excused himself to change into something more suitable for company, and when he returned he finished making two mugs of tea, sitting one in front of Neji as he sat at the table opposite his teammate.

Neji turned out to be surprisingly easy to talk to. His carefully cultivated hard exterior seemed to shrink the longer he stayed in Lee’s kitchen, being replaced instead with a kind of fierce curiosity that Lee found just shy of overwhelming to have directed at him. Everything about Neji had a certain intensity that made Lee feel like he was being x-rayed and thoroughly analyzed, which he supposed with Neji’s eyes that maybe wasn’t so far a reach. Neji also seemed to consider everything Lee said very carefully, like he was turning every word over and over in his mind individually. But he listened, always waiting patiently until Lee was finished a thought before bringing up any questions. He asked cautiously at first, almost guiltily—like he was terrified of offending Lee again. But they eventually fell into a comfortable back and forth, both boys gradually letting their guards down with the other enough that Lee could say with certainty that Neji knew at least one thing about him that no one else did. He also knew quite a few new things about Neji. They had talked for hours, topics ranging from the harshest words their families and peers had ever spoken to them, to the stepping stones they hit on their own paths of self-discovery, to the trivial fact that Neji’s hair made Lee miss his own braid (he had cut it off in order to feel more masculine, but he did miss the look of long hair). At that, Lee swore that Neji had laughed. It had been nothing more than a sharp exhale, but Neji had smiled. Lee found himself beaming.

Before either boy knew it, they had been sitting at Lee’s kitchen table and talking for nearly the entire afternoon. They only truly noticed the passage of time when Lee’s stomach growled loudly, pulling them out of their conversation with a flustered laugh from Lee.

“I…I had not realized how long we had been talking!” Lee said sheepishly, his hands twisting with each other in his lap. “I did not mean to keep you for so long,”

Neji rolled his eyes, shaking his head a little. “Lee, if you had been keeping me from something, I wouldn’t have stayed,” he said simply. The words seemed harsh but they had no malice behind them, and Lee appreciated the honestly. “Besides, I…I enjoyed talking with you.”

Lee smiled brightly at Neji’s words, feeling his cheeks grow warm. Despite training alongside Neji both in and out of classrooms for several years, he had never really felt like the other boy ever liked him at all. As small a praise at it was, it was still appreciated greatly.

“I enjoyed it as well, Neji!” Lee exclaimed, causing the other boy to raise an eyebrow, his smirk so small it was almost indistinguishable.

Lee and Neji ended up having a small dispute where both boys seemed to be attempting to out-courtesy one another; Neji politely refusing any further hospitality, and Lee insisting that it was his pleasure to have Neji stay for dinner.

Lee won the dispute. Neji huffed softly, the rolling of his pale eyes hidden from Lee’s view as he stood to search through his kitchen for ingredients. Neji stood swiftly, gently but firmly taking a package off green onions from Lee’s hands.

“If it must be your house, and your food, at least let me cook,” he paused, waiting for Lee to release his hold on the vegetables. “You have done enough for me today, Lee.”

Lee eventually relented, sitting back down at the kitchen table and watching Neji cook. He was faster at it than Lee was, and probably better at it if Lee was honest with himself. He wasn’t a bad cook, but he wasn’t sure he’d ever cooked for anyone else. Neji moved with a confidence that suggested that maybe he had. Or perhaps it was just the same confidence that Neji seemed to put behind anything he did. Lee smiled a little to himself, thinking about how today was the first time he thought he ever saw a break in that confidence. He wasn’t fool enough to believe that Neji had let Lee past all of his walls, but he was at least one layer deeper than the rest of the village, and Lee saw that as an honor and a privilege.

After a few minutes of cooking (and a few more of searching Lee’s kitchen for dishes), Neji placed a bowl of soup in front of Lee. It smelled much better than what Lee usually cooked for himself. He wondered if he could get Neji to cook for him more often.

“Thank you,” Lee smiled up at Neji as he resumed his seat across from him. “It looks incredible,”

Neji just offered him a small, reserved smile.

The soup was just as delicious as it smelled. Lee could get used to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was one of my favorite chapters to write. As it turns out, I really like writing Neji. I hope you enjoy!


	4. Chapter 4

Several years had passed since Lee’s first real conversation with Neji. The two boys had been much closer after that, and initially Lee had worried that it was purely because Neji felt guilty. He very much enjoyed his friendship and mostly-friendly rivalry with the other boy, and it made him sad when he thought that maybe Neji only did this out of some kind of pity.

Not one to beat around the bush, he had eventually asked. Neji’s answer hadn’t been without an edge to it, like he had been offended at the notion that he’d put effort into faking a friendship he didn’t want. It had been strangely assuring, despite the curtness of Neji’s words. Lee had enough experience with Neji over the years to be able to read him though the façade.

As prickly a demeanor as Neji put forth to the outside world, his actions gave Lee clear proof that the friendship was anything but one-sided. The reasons ranged from the simple fact that Neji spent out-of-training time with him, to the fact that he’d become subtly overprotective of Lee when it came to would-be bullies.

Lee wasn’t sure how long it had been going on before he noticed.

Only a few months after Neji’s apology-turned-dinner, Lee had been approached on his way home from training by a couple of boys from the class that graduated before his.

___

_“We heard Gai adopted a shemale into his team. That’d be you, right?”_

_Lee had felt the chill from those words run down his spine. How many people knew? Did the whole village know? Did the whole village think like this? Was he going to spend his entire career…his entire life trying to convince people that he and his identity were worth anything?_

_Lee had opened his mouth to speak, trying desperately to form words at the same time he was trying to force back the familiar burn of forming tears._

_“The amount of cowardice. Attacking a comrade, three against one? Pathetic,”_

_Lee gasped sharply at the cold voice from behind him, turning to see none other than Neji. He appeared, outwardly, to be completely calm. His stance was relaxed, his arms folded, and he was shaking his head disapprovingly with his eyes shut. But Lee wasn’t fooled. As much as a practiced control freak that Neji was, he was doing a poor job of concealing the sharp edge of murderous intent that were feathering around the edges of his chakra._

_“Normally I wouldn’t feel the need to step in. Rock Lee is one of the strongest men I’ve ever fought, and most certainly capable of defeating you three,” Neji said coolly. “But if you keep belittling him…keep_ disrespecting _him like this,”_

_Neji’s movement was sharp; raising his eyes to meet those of Lee’s wary would-be attackers. Lee’s eyes widened when he realized, Neji’s byakugan was activated._

_“Be warned: you will not be able to hide from me.”_

_The three boys stepped back, the one in front raising his hands in a clear gesture of surrender. “Nobody was attacking,” he protested. “We just asked a question. Right, Lee? Tell him, we didn’t—”_

_“Get out of my sight,” Neji spat. “The next time I see your faces, there better be an apology coming from your lips,”_

_The three boys didn’t need any more telling from Neji. To their credit, they did not run. But they certainly left in a hurry._

_Lee didn’t know what he was feeling. Was he scared? Grateful? Ashamed? He couldn’t say for certain, except for one thing. He felt like he couldn’t look Neji Hyuuga in the eyes._

_“Lee,” Neji’s voice was soft, lacking the edge that Lee was so accustomed to. “Are you alright?”_

_“No, I am not,” The words tumbled out of Lee’s mouth before he could try and bury them._

_“They hurt you?” Neji was suddenly much closer, and Lee felt his body give the most minute flinch in response._

_“N-not physically,” Lee swallowed heavily around the growing lump in his throat. He could not cry. Not out in public, not in front of Neji, not because of this._

_Neji sighed softly, his eyes slipping shut yet again._

_“Lee…if I have overstepped any boundaries—”_

_“You did,” Lee said quickly, latching onto Neji’s provided excuse for his discomfort. It certainly was easier to agree to what Neji was saying than to try and explain the tangled mess of emotion running through him. Emotions that hadn’t been brought to the surface of his mind in years. “I do not…I do not need rescuing, or pitying, or whatever this is to you, Neji! I never have!”_

_“I had hoped that I made it clear, before…I have never felt pity for you,” Neji responded, his cool, emotionless façade back in full force. “I haven’t doubted your strength in a very long time. That is not why I stepped in,”_

_“Yeah? Then why did you?” Lee challenged._

_Neji sighed again, emotion flickering across his face for the briefest of seconds._

_“It is…hard to explain,” he began. “Ever since that day, after training…when I came to apologize to you.” He paused as Lee’s eyes flickered to meet his briefly, before turning away again. “You didn’t have to speak to me. I wouldn’t have been able to blame you if you never trusted me again. But you did. You do. You allowed me into your home, you extended me the kindness and patience that I did not even think to offer you. And it—it is so much more than a debt that I owe to you…that’s not what this is.”_

_“What is it, then?” Lee murmured, shifting uncomfortably under Neji’s gaze._

_“You made me want to be better,” Neji said simply. “I had been…so wrapped up in the things I had endured at home. I stopped thinking about the things that people besides me had to endure. You made me want to work to change what can be changed, to make life better for the people who matter to me.”_

_Lee could hardly believe that this was Neji speaking._

_“I did?”_

_“You did,” Neji confirmed. “And this, today…to see people attempting to hurt you in the same way I did then…well, it seems my self-control slipped yet again,” notes of shame were creeping into his voice again. “I will do better to restrain myself in the future. I apologize,”_

_Lee hated this. He hated Neji apologizing for helping him. He hated the small incline of Neji’s head, bowing towards him. He hated that he’d made his friend feel guilt over him._

_“No, Neji,” Lee felt his voice waver. “What I said before…it was not true. You are not the reason that I am upset,”_

_Neji frowned slightly, his brows knitting together. “Lee, it’s okay,”_

_“No! It is not okay!” Lee protested, feeling the tears he had beaten back for so long starting to form yet again. “You should not be apologizing again…it is I who should apologize…and be grateful to you…Neji, I—”_

_Neji’s eyes widened slightly, betraying his surprise at the sudden break in Lee’s emotions._

_“Lee, you don’t have—”_

_“I have to!” Lee insisted. “Neji…you are the first friend I have ever had stand up for me,” the tears were flowing quickly now. “And today, I—Those boys…”_

_Lee sniffled loudly, unsuccessfully trying to wipe away his tears. He was acutely aware of the fact that he had Neji’s full attention, as well as to the fact that Neji was considerably more flustered by Lee’s tears than he was letting on._

_“Neji, I am so scared,” Lee confessed in a small voice, his tears returning in full. “I feel…as though I cannot control how many people know…about me. And that no one will ever accept me. That this will always be something that is holding me back, and putting me and my teammates in danger,”_

_Neji frowned, his hands twitching as if he was about to reach out to Lee, but immediately reconsidered._

_“Neji…I do not think I am strong enough to do this.”_

_“You’ve never been more wrong.”_

_Lee’s eyes snapped up to meet Neji’s, confusion written all over his tearstained face._

_“What I said before…it wasn’t just a front,” Neji shook his head a little, as if he couldn’t believe what Lee was saying. “You are truly one of the strongest, bravest, and kindest people I have ever met. Almost to a fault,” He fixed Lee with his focused stare, holding his gaze steadily. “But even so…you do not carry this burden alone, Lee. I…your teammates, your comrades…we are always here for you. Please do not feel as though your strength is the only strength you must rely on. I freely offer my own.”_

_Lee wasn’t sure what came over him in that moment. Neji’s declaration of camaraderie was something he had been craving for so long, and so deeply fearful he would never receive. There was nothing that could have prepared him for the rush of affection he felt in that moment for Neji…the same as there was nothing that stopped him from flinging himself against Neji in a rib-crushing hug._

_Neji let out a strange sound on a strong huff of air, his eyes blown wide and jaw open slack in unrestrained shock. Lee would grow to regret not bearing witness to the look on his face. As it was, Lee’s own face had collided with Neji’s shoulder, sending him stumbling backwards a few steps until he regained his footing._

_“Lee,” Neji let out, his cheeks heating rapidly from shock and mild embarrassment._

_“Thank you, Neji,” Lee breathed, his hold on Neji only tightening. “Nobody has ever…it means so much to me…”_

_Lee continued to babble gently against Neji’s shoulder, and Neji eventually regained enough composure to let the tension in his shoulders fall with a small, amused huff of air and a roll of his eyes._

_Neji brought his hands to rest gently, if not a little awkwardly, on Lee’s shoulders._

_“You’re welcome, Lee.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to those who have been leaving kudos and commenting, I'm so happy y'all like this story!


	5. Chapter 5

Lee honestly hadn’t given much thought to it recently. At least, much less thought than he used to. It used to always be at the back of his mind, anxious that someone might mock him, or deadname him, or that _somehow_ his gender would come up and cause some sort of unfortunate situation.

But that never really happened, whether or not it was because most of the village didn’t know or because Neji had not-so-subtly threatened a storm of righteous violence upon bullies, Lee couldn’t say for sure. But his friends didn’t treat him any differently than he would expect, so he assumed that he was in the proverbial clear.

Honestly, he should have guessed that Shikamaru would have known.

“You’re trans, right?”

Lee choked on his rice, earning him a hearty thump on the back from Shikamaru.

“Hah. Careful, now. Sorry, didn’t mean to surprise you that much,” Shikamaru chuckled a little, once he was sure Lee was breathing again.

“Shikamaru…who told you?” Lee asked, red in the face from both embarrassment and from loss of breath. “Did Neji—”

“Nobody told me,” Shikamaru shrugged, his tone suggesting that it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I dunno if anyone else even knows. But it makes sense that your team would.”

Lee was reeling; both from the words and the absurdly casual tone with which Shikamaru was speaking. As if this didn’t affect everything about Lee’s life and relationship with Shikamaru.

“But—but then how did you know?”

“I mean I didn’t, really,” Shikamaru sighed softly, taking another long, lazy sip of his water. “That’s why I asked, right?”

“I…I suppose that makes sense,” Lee said cautiously, watching Shikamaru carefully. “Why did you ask, Shikamaru?”

“Curious,” Shikamaru said simply. “Oh, I don’t have anything against it, or anything. And I haven’t told anybody else, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“But—” Lee stammered, flustered. “What is it about me that made you curious?” he asked, feeling desperation build up alongside anxiety. Was it this obvious the whole time?

Shikamaru frowned slightly, a familiar expression of concentration crossing his face.

“I dunno. A combination of things, I guess.” He paused, studying Lee’s face carefully. “It’s…not obvious, Lee.”

“What?” Lee asked, startling yet again.

Shikamaru smirked, rolling his eyes a little.

“You. It’s not obvious. You worrying about it is, though,” he teased, before his expression turned serious again. “And I suppose I can’t tell you that _nobody_ knows, because I never talked to anybody about it. But…I guarantee you that Ino doesn’t know. Because we’d all know if she did.”

Lee allowed himself to laugh at that, shaking his head a little. He was still insecure about how easily Shikamaru seemed to read him, but on the other hand, he trusted Shikamaru with his life. And honestly, it was kind of a relief. Coming out to people was stressful, and the easy acceptance Shikamaru had given him was comforting. Gai-sensei’s boisterous support and Neji’s fierce camaraderie were wonderful, but they could be a little overwhelming. People like Shikamaru and Iruka-sensei from years ago, who provided calm and quiet means of comfort, warmed Lee’s heart in a way he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to adequately express.

“Thank you, Shikamaru.”

Shikamaru let out a small huff of laughter.

“Don’t mention it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I continue to be thrilled with how much y'all like this story! I love reading your comments so much, and I'm gonna try and respond to everybody soon. I also apologize for the fact that updates are probably gonna be a little slow, I have two multi-chapter WIPs going on as I'm trying to finish undergrad. But I'll update as much as I can. <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for your continued support! <3

Lee should have realized that Sakura would find out.

She’s a medical professional now, after all. Lady Tsunade found out almost immediately upon entering the village, when Gai-sensei brought her in to try and heal his Chuunin exam injuries. And with Sakura being her protégé, it should only follow suit that she would find out.

It took until Lee was hospitalized after a mission. He had ended up with several broken ribs in the aftermath of a battle, and was sent straight to the hospital in lieu of turning in the mission report. He sat in the examination room, laying back in the chair to try and ease the pain in his ribs when Sakura entered and grabbed his files.

“Oh, Lee, what did you get yourself into this time?” Sakura asked, smiling good naturedly as she looked down at his files. “Ribs?”

Lee smiled sheepishly, shrugging a shoulder. “Yeah…”

“Dare I ask about the other guy?” Sakura joked, setting Lee’s papers down and pulling her hair up. “Can you take off your vest and roll your jumpsuit down for me, Lee? I need to check for bleeding,”

Lee got halfway to taking his vest off before freezing.

“Lee? Is everything alright? Do you need help?” Sakura noticed the stilling in Lee’s movement.

“Wh—no, I am fine!” Lee felt his cheeks flush, and he slipped his vest off the rest of the way, setting it on the bed beside him. He gave Sakura his best attempt at his usual smile, but he still felt his hands shaking as he reached behind himself to undo his jumpsuit. Did Sakura already know? It must be in his medical file. If she didn’t know, would she react? Would she tell anyone? Had she already told? Surely not, she was a medical professional. She had some sense of confidentiality.

Lee let out a shaky breath as he undid his jumpsuit, letting it slip off his shoulders and down his arms, revealing his chest, which was discreetly covered by a half-torso binder. He bit his lower lip hard, avoiding Sakura’s eyes as he tucked his jumpsuit down by his waist, laying back and waiting for Sakura to say something.

If Sakura was surprised, she didn’t betray it on her face. She completed Lee’s exam with complete practiced professionalism, cracking a light joke every now and then to keep Lee talking through the minor pain that was having injuries prodded at. It wasn’t until she had given Lee thorough treatment that she even dared to address the elephant in the room.

“Lady Tsunade…she told me before I gave your exam,” Sakura said softly, looking up from where she was re-rolling spare bandages to meet Lee’s eyes. “I didn’t know if you’d want—I didn’t know if I should talk about it,”

Lee shrugged, pulling his jumpsuit back over his shoulders. “It is okay, Sakura. You need to know,” he murmured, glancing up at her nervously. “But no one else—”

“I won’t tell anyone!” Sakura quickly assured him. “Lee, I would never tell anyone...does no one else know?”

Lee laughed softly, shaking his head a little.

“Do not be silly, of course other people know. Gai-sensei and my team, of course.” Lee paused, laughing a little. “Shikamaru figured it out,”

Sakura laughed then as well, rolling her eyes. “Of course the boy genius knows,” she paused, offering Lee a bright smile. “But everyone…they’re okay, right?” she asked. The meaning of her question did not go unnoticed by Lee.

“Everyone has been so good to me,” Lee said softly, smiling fondly. “Gai-sensei, and Neji, and…everyone. I am truly grateful,”

Sakura raised her eyebrow an almost imperceivable amount, and Lee cocked his head slightly in confusion.

“Is…something about that surprising to you, Sakura?”

Sakura’s cheeks flushed, and she looked sheepish. “Well, I just…I remember a long time ago, Hinata…Hinata was ranting—that in itself was strange, you can imagine—but she was ranting about how Neji made her so angry because he said something terrible to you, and she yelled at him for so long…” he paused, shrugging. “I kind of assumed that was about…this,”

Lee laughed, the sound ringing loudly in the small exam room. Of course the news of Hinata losing her cool at Neji would have spread through the rookie nine. With that kind of scene being made, it was a wonder there hadn’t been rumors about him before.

“It was indeed about this, Sakura. And I owe Hinata a debt because of it,” Lee grinned. “Since she lectured him, Neji has become someone very important to me. Someone I can trust and rely on,”

Sakura let out a small noise of surprise, shaking her head a little.

“Hinata overpowering Neji…who’d have ever thunk,” she mused. “I’m…I’m really happy your teammates are there for you, Lee,” Sakura smiled fondly. “And…I’m happy I can be there for you, too.”

Lee beamed, feeling the familiar prickle of tears behind his eyes. He truly did not know what he had done to deserve his friends, but he could only hope and pray that he continued to do whatever it is. He was pulled from his contemplation by a soft knock at the door, which caused both him and Sakura to turn.

The door to the exam room was pushed open, and Lee smiled brightly.

“Neji! What are you doing here?”

Neji raised an eyebrow, looking from Lee, to Sakura, and then back again. Sakura offered Neji a small smile in greeting, turning back to cleaning up her supplies.

“I came to make sure that you were alright,” Neji answered. “And also to let you know, Lady Hokage has given us a week to rest.”

“Lee’s just fine, Neji,” Sakura confirmed with a smile. “You can go ahead and take him home. Make sure he doesn’t strain himself with his ribs,”

Neji bowed his head slightly in thanks to Sakura, shooting Lee a discreet but wry smile.

“Making sure Lee doesn’t strain himself sounds like it will be something of a strain on me,” he teased lightly, making Sakura laugh and Lee flush pink. “How long until he can properly train?”

“He should take this full week of rest, at least,” Sakura said, gathering the last of her supplies in her arms. “Strength training is fine, as long as you’re careful. But absolutely no combat training or sparring.”

Lee felt his face fall a little at Sakura’s words, and he felt Neji’s eyes burning into him. He had a feeling he was going to be following Sakura’s restrictions dutifully whether he liked it or not.

“No combat training or sparring,” Neji echoed sternly. “Of course. Thank you, Sakura.”

Sakura smiled at the two of them, excusing herself to the rest of her patients. Lee pulled his vest back on and stood, the pain in his ribs having been reduced to a dull, manageable ache.

“I am glad you’re alright, Lee,” Neji said, smiling softly. “And I hope you are aware that I will physically restrain you from training, if necessary.”

Lee laughed, shaking his head a little and turning to leave with Neji.

“I would like to see you try,”

“I would ask if that was a challenge, but you’re forbidden from challenges for a week.”

Lee groaned, but swore he heard a small laugh from Neji’s retreating back.


	7. Chapter 7

“Ten Ten?”

Ten Ten looked over at Lee from where she was prying various weaponry from training targets, shooting him a grin before walking over to flop spread-eagle next to him on the grass. In the distance, Neji and Gai were noisily sparring in the wider area of the training field, and the other two members of Team Gai tuned out the sounds of their fight with the ease that came from practice. Ten Ten turned, looking up from her position to meet Lee’s gaze.

“You’re right, I needed a break. What’s up?”

 Lee chuckled softly, looking down at his half-bandaged hand, winding the cloth around his wrist a few more times before speaking again.

“Do you…I know that you—but you are the only one who knows and has not ever mentioned….I mean I know you are my friend and comrade and I do not doubt you! But I—”

“Lee,” Ten Ten cut him off with a gentle laugh, waving her hand in the air as if to brush away his concerns. “You’re asking if I’m bothered by the fact that you’re trans, right?”

Lee hesitated, before nodding his head sheepishly. He felt bad to ask, it felt like he was accusing his friends of being bigots when he logically knew that they weren’t. But his anxiety was louder than his logic sometimes, and he wanted to really know that his friends were okay with him. He wanted to hear them say it. That might make him selfish, but he still wanted to know.

“Lee, of _course_ I’m not bothered,” Ten Ten assured him. “I was a little curious in the beginning. I didn’t know a lot, you know? And I didn’t wanna bother you, or make you feel weird or anything by asking a lot of questions,” she shrugged.

“Oh,” Lee couldn’t help the smile that broke across his face. Of course Ten Ten didn’t mind. She hadn’t wanted to talk about it in case it bothered him. “Well if you still have questions…it does not bother me.”

“That’s good to know,” Ten Ten smiled. “I think I’m okay, for now. Just…”

“Just what?” Lee’s smile drooped only slightly, his anxiety threatening to return.

“Nothing bad, Lee, I promise,” Ten Ten assured him. “Just…I want to make sure that I’m not doing anything to…make this harder on you.”

Lee’s eyes widened a little, and he hurriedly shook his head. “No! Ten Ten, you have not made anything harder on me, not ever! I mean, sometimes you will make things harder for me, when we are training together, but that is for my own benefit and besides—”

“Lee,” Ten Ten laughed again, sitting up and playfully knocking her shoulder into Lee’s. “I’m glad to hear it, you goof. I’m here for you for anything. You know that, yeah?”

“I do know that,” Lee shot Ten Ten a brilliant smile. “I know, but it is still good to hear! And I, of course, am here for you as well, for anything!”

Ten Ten laughed as the pair was approached by Neji and Gai. Neji was doing his best to maintain his controlled and unreadable appearance, but it was clear that the sparring match had exhausted him. Gai, as he always did, appeared nearly unaffected by the long and intense sparring match he had just gone through.

“Ten Ten, Lee,” Gai’s voice boomed out over the training field, probably garnering attention from anyone training nearby. “Have you completed your day’s training?”

“We sure have,” Ten Ten confirmed, hopping up to a standing position. “How was sparring, Neji?”

“Challenging,” Neji said simply, pushing a lock of hair that had become displaced from the tie over his shoulder.

“Ah, but that is how you know it was valuable!” Gai gave Neji a hearty clap on the shoulder, sending him a step forward and knocking his hair askew yet again. Neji rolled his eyes, but made a small, affirmative noise.

“My training was invigorating and inspiring!” Lee cried, bouncing up from his seat on the grass, his unwound bandage fluttering in the breeze as he punched the air enthusiastically. “In fact, I am not ready to stop! I have hours left in me, I know it!”

“Lee,” Neji’s sigh was exasperated, but the hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth was fond. “Please, take a rest. Just listening to you talk about more training is exhausting me.”

“But Neji!” Lee protested, leaning closer to the other boy. “We must push ourselves further and further each and every time we train! We must always be expanding our abilities, finding new reaches of our—”

“Lee, I would be willing to lower myself and beg if I thought it could get you to let me rest.”

Lee pouted as Ten Ten laughed loudly. He was far too used to Neji’s dry wit to be truly offended, however. He knew that Neji appreciated his boisterous enthusiasm in his own reserved, quiet way.

“Okay, okay…you do not need to beg,” Lee fell into step with his two teammates as they left the training field. “I will not talk about training any more.”

“Good,” Ten Ten let out a sigh of relief. “I’m with Neji on this one, it’s time we’ve earned a break.”

The trio walked in comfortable silence for several minutes, leaving Lee to think about the conversation this afternoon. It hadn’t been long, neither he nor Ten Ten really had said much. But it meant a lot to him, both of his teammates meant to much to him, and he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to adequately express it enough.

“Neji, Ten Ten,” he began, slinging an arm around both of their shoulders. “I Love, and value, and appreciate the two of you more than I could ever say!”

Ten Ten laughed at Lee’s sudden and affectionate outburst, wrapping her arm around his waist and leaning into the touch freely. Neji, unsurprisingly, was less receptive; tensing a little at the weight of Lee’s arm on his shoulders, his cheeks flushing light pink at Lee’s words. He averted his gaze and muttered under his breath at Lee and Ten Ten’s encouragement to hug them, clearly getting more embarrassed the longer the conversation went on. Eventually he gave in, muttering about how this was only so they stopped making a public scene.

There, on the street outside Ten Ten’s house, with each teammate leaning into his embrace on either side, Lee wasn’t sure he’d ever felt so at home.

He and Neji parted with Ten Ten, walking in silence back toward Lee’s apartment. Neji’s silence felt a little more awkward than usual, and from the sideways glances Lee chanced at Neji, he could still see color on his cheeks. The pair paused at the door to Lee’s building, and Lee turned to offer his goodbye.

“Lee,” Neji began, before Lee could speak. “You, ah—I…”

“Yes, Neji?” Lee asked, smiling pleasantly.

“I want you to know, that you are appreciated as well,” Neji murmured. His voice was sure, but he wasn’t looking Lee in the eyes. “And…valued.”

Lee’s smile brightened until it was a full beam, and the only thing keeping him from pulling Neji into an enthusiastic hug was the fact that he knew it would probably make the other boy uncomfortable.

“Thank you,” he said instead. “I do know, of course, that you and Ten Ten appreciate me as your friend and comrade, but it is very nice to hear, Neji.”

“Of course,” Neji murmured. “I will…see you tomorrow, then.”

“Tomorrow!” Lee agreed, shooting off a salute before turning and entering his home.

He settled down with a pre-prepared dinner at his small kitchen table, feeling more warm and full than even the most delicious food could ever make him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. So.....I know it's been a hot minute since I've updated this fic. A lot happened in my life between the last update and now, and frankly, the inspiration well for this story ran a little dry. But I've been brainstorming hard on it, and have some more ideas, so hopefully I'll be able to update this more regularly. Huge thank you's to everyone who continued to leave reviews and kudos even when I was inactive on this, it gave me the kick in the pants I needed to continue. I really love this story and I really hope you guys do too. Your thoughts and comments make my day <3


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